Musings of an antipodean contrarian

Marriage as the gold standard

Like other politicians, Senator Cory Bernardi writes letters of congratulations to Australians who reach 100 years of age. He does the same when a couple celebrates their golden wedding anniversary. Recently he wrote to a couple celebrating their 73rd anniversary!

“The very idea of spending 73 years married to the same person would be incredulous to many people today,” he says. “And yet marriage is a covenant which was always intended to be entered into ‘until death do us part’.”

The Senator quoted a British family court judge who said family breakdown causes many social ills, and argued that marriage should be restored as the “gold standard.”

I don’t agree with everything Senator Bernardi says – his views on climate change and refugees, for example – but he is absolutely right about marriage. We can all celebrate successful marriages, and help couples integrate strategies for lasting harmony and happiness into their relationships.